The Warsaw Ghetto: History as Survival

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The story of an extraordinary secret archive recording daily life in the Warsaw Ghetto.

The story of the Oyneg Shabes archive. Between 1940 and 1943 a group of dedicated writers secretly recorded daily Jewish existence in the Warsaw Ghetto.

The story of the Oyneg Shabes archive. Between 1940 and 1943 a group of dedicated writers, led by historian Emanuel Ringeblum, secretly recorded daily Jewish existence in the Warsaw Ghetto. It would become history as survival. Anton Lesser narrates this new 10-part series revealing the lives, stories and destruction of the Ghetto.

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The Warsaw Ghetto: History as Survival: 5. Monograph of a People's Kitchen

5. Monograph of a People's Kitchen

BBC Radio 4 - The Warsaw Ghetto: History as Survival, 5. Monograph of a People's Kitchen

An extraordinary archive of life in the Warsaw Ghetto.

The story of the Oyneg Shabes archive. An astonishing record of existence in the Warsaw Ghetto. This was history as survival. 5 - Rachel Auerbach. Monograph of a People's Kitchen

The Oyneg Shabes Archive is an extraordinary collection that details every facet of life and death in the Warsaw Ghetto. A secret chronicle that became history as survival. Anton Lesser narrates this 10 part series revealing the lives and stories of the Ghetto. Episode 5-Rachel Auerbach-Monograph of a People's Kitchen. With Tracy-Ann Oberman.

In the middle of Europe, in the middle of the 20th Century a half million Jewish men, women & children were cut off, surrounded by the German occupiers, imprisoned behind walls. How do you tell the world about your life and fate?  Historian and activist Emanuel Ringelblum devised and directed a clandestine archive- codename Oyneg Shabes (Joy of the Sabbath) to chronicle every aspect of their existence. He recruited over 60 'zamlers' or gatherers to write & compile thousands of pages-diaries, essays, poems, photographs, statistical studies, art, ephemera -a historical treasure that was buried even as the Ghetto was being extinguished so that the world might read and understand. Listen to their stories

Episode 5: Monograph of a People's Kitchen. In the wake of the German invasion & occupation the Aylenhilf-the Jewish Communal Self Help network created refugee centres, block committees, mobile libraries and soup kitchens. Writer Rachel Auerbach became the director of one such soup kitchen at 40 Leszno Street where she both kept a diary and then wrote her first piece as one of the Oyneg Shabes team. 

With Tracy-Ann Oberman as Rachel Auerbach. Narration by Anton Lesser. Translation Sean Gasper Bye &  Samuel Kassow. With thanks to the Yiddish Book Centre Written & produced by Mark Burman.

For more information on the Oyneg Shabes/Ringeblum archive go to the website of the Jewish Historical Institute  https://cbj.jhi.pl/

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